2013
1STDIBS LAUNCHES SCANDINAVIAN DEALERS.
The clean, organic shapes, comfortable furnishings and neutral colors that define Scandinavian Modern design bring an ease, functionality and warmth to the spaces they inhabit. No wonder the broad collection available on 1stDibs, including a strong showing of Danish and Swedish pieces, remains so popular. The serenity and humanity evoked by this aesthetic seems perfectly suited to our lives today.
Interior by Neal Beckstedt Studio
Born in Finland, Paavo Tynell would go on to create design that epitomizes the functional minimalist aesthetic of Scandinavian Modern. He became a master craftsman in metalwork and eventually turned to lighting design, collaborating with leading figure including Alvar Aalto and Kaj Franck.
Born in Finland, Paavo Tynell would go on to create design that epitomizes the functional minimalist aesthetic of Scandinavian Modern. He became a master craftsman in metalwork and eventually turned to lighting design, collaborating with leading figure including Alvar Aalto and Kaj Franck.
This subtle decorating style is all about achieving the perfect balance of old and new, spareness and layers. Here are four techniques for achieving the lagom look at home.
Creator Spotlight
5 Names to Know in Scandinavian Design
Scandinavian modern designers adhered to centuries-old beliefs of both quality craftsmanship and the ideal that beauty should enhance even the humblest aspects of daily life. The contributions of five of this movement's most renowned creators still reverberate decades later.
5 Names to Know
in Scandinavian Design
This Danish architect and designer was among the first to extol the virtues of grace, craftsmanship and utility of Scandinavian modernism to a global audience. A stylistic maverick, Juhl embraced expressive, free-flowing shapes in chair and sofa designs much earlier than his colleagues, yet even his quietest pieces incorporate supple, curving forms that are elegant and ergonomic.
A leading figure in Swedish textile design in the early 20th century, Märta Måås-Fjetterström introduced a more cosmopolitan spirit to the tradition-bound craft of rug weaving, creating some of the era’s most divine carpets — works that are elegant yet have a handmade warmth and honesty.
Best known for his chairs and seating pieces — though a master of many furniture types like sofas and tables — Hans J. Wegner was a prolific designer whose elegant, often ebullient, forms and devotion to the finest methods in joinery made "Danish Modern" a popular byword for stylish, well-made furniture in the mid-20th century.
With their fluid lines and sculptural presence, Arne Jacobsen’s signature pieces — the elegant Swan chair and the cozy-yet-cutting edge Egg chair — were immediate hits upon their debut in 1958. They remain iconic representations of the singular aesthetic of the designers of the era and their shared study of practicality and comfort.
Among the great mid-20th century Danish furniture designers, Børge Mogensen distinguished himself with his abiding faith in traditional values of craftsmanship and honesty of materials. He focused on making pieces that were simple, durable and comfortable — and in the long run, perhaps more useful and better loved.
Märta Blomstedt
Sheepskin Wing Chair, 1930s
Axel Einar Hjorth
Sandhamn Table, 1929
Ib Kofod-Larsen
Seal Chair, 1950s
Kai Kristiansen
Chest of Drawers, 1960
Seller Spotlight
"I have always been fascinated by Scandinavian design from the post-war period — it's usually very playful and colorful. We help customers all over the world find Scandinavian modern pieces. Recently, a customer found original wall lamps that had been sold, but we were able to help her by sourcing them on 1stDibs."
Warm Modernist Wishes
These five designers took an aspirational (and intentional) approach to their client's spaces. Visionaries in every sense, they infused their room with a Scandinavian-like sense of purpose and extraordinary graciousness.
